Trends In Overweight Research Articles

Secular Trends of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Children and Adolescents from Ukraine.

Overweight and obesity, as well as underweight in children and adolescents, pose a significant public health issue. This study aimed to investigate the secular trend of the incidence of underweight, overweight, and obesity in children from Ukraine in 2013/2014 and 2018/2019. The studies were conducted in randomly selected primary and secondary schools in Ukraine. In total, 13,447 children (6468 boys and 6979 girls) participated in the study in 2013/2014 and 18,144 children (8717 boys and 9427 girls) participated in 2018/2019. Measurements of body weight and height were performed in triplicate. Underweight, overweight, and obesity were diagnosed according to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). In the group of girls, a significant difference between 2013/2014 and 2018/2019 measurements was found only among 7-year-olds. The percentage of girls at this age exceeding the body mass index (BMI) norm was lower in the 2018/2019 study. In boys, a significant difference was also found in 7-year-olds, and, as in girls, a lower share of overweight and obesity was found in 2018/2019. But for the ages of 12, 13, and 15, the significant differences had a different character—more overweight or obese boys were found in the 2018/2019 study. The proportion of underweight children was similar for the majority of age groups in both genders and did not differ in a statistically significant way.

The relationship of irisin with metabolic syndrome components and insulin secretion and resistance in schoolchildren.

Irisin, a novel myokine, is believed to be the crucial factor in converting white adipose tissue to beige adipose tissue. For this paper, we studied the relationship among irisin and components of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and insulin secretion and resistance in schoolchildren of Taiwan.Subjects receiving routine annual health examination at elementary school were enrolled. Demographic data, anthropometry, MetS components, irisin, and insulin secretion and resistance were collected. Subjects were divided into normal, overweight, and obese groups for evaluation of irisin in obesity. Finally, the relationship between irisin and MetS was analyzed.There were 376 children (179 boys and 197 girls), aged 10.3 ± 1.5 years, were enrolled. In boys, irisin levels were not associated with body mass index percentile, body fat, blood pressure, lipid profiles, insulin secretion or resistance. After adjusting for age, the irisin level in boys was negatively related to fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (r = –0.21, P = .006). In girls, after adjusting for age, the irisin levels were positively related only to FPG (r = 1.49, P = .038). In both genders, irisin levels were similar among normal, overweight, and obese groups, and between subjects with and without MetS.The irisin levels were not associated with MetS in either boys or girls. In girls, circulating irisin levels have a nonsignificant declining trend in overweight and obese girls. However, irisin levels were negatively related to FPG in boys and positively related to FPG in girls. The contrary relationship between irisin and FPG in boys and girls needs further exploration.

Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity, and Its Associated Factors Among Health-care Workers, Teachers, and Bankers in Arusha City, Tanzania.

BackgroundTanzania is one of the developing countries experiencing an increasing trend of overweight and obesity among adults. Working adults have been identified as a high-risk group more exposed to the predictors of overweight and obesity than the general population. However, limited studies have been done in this group. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of overweight and obesity and its associated risk factors among health-care workers, teachers, and bankers in Arusha city council.Subjects and MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among health-care workers, teachers, and bankers. A total of 305 working adults aged 18–60 years participated in the study. A modified World Health Organization (WHO) STEPwise approach for chronic disease risk factor surveillance was used to collect data about socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle behaviors, dietary practices and anthropometric measurement. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to collect information about level of physical activities. The anthropometric measurement and level of physical activities were calculated and ranked according to WHO guidelines.ResultsOverall, 68.9% (31.1% overweight and 37.8% obese) of working adults were overweight or obese. Age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR=7.73; 95% CI: 1.93–30.87]), gender (AOR=2.60; 95% CI: 1.30–5.21), marital status (AOR=2.47; 95% CI: 1.11–5.50), years spent with the current institution (AOR=4.59; 95% CI: 1.38–17.80), using private car or public transport to and from work (AOR=2.43; 95% CI: 1.10–5.39) and sedentary work (AOR=2.43; 95% CI: 1.04–5.71), were significant factors associated with overweight or obesity.ConclusionThe study identified a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity in Tanzania compared with previous studies. The results from this study are useful for the education sector, financial institutions and health sector on designing workplace wellness programs to reduce the burden of overweight and obesity among this working category.

Lifestyle Practices and Knowledge on Prevention and Control of Overweight and Obesity among Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Adolescent obesity is a major public health challenge and it is a growing epidemic. Change in diet and physical inactivity are the key factors affecting weight among adolescents. Due to this, the prevalence of non communicable diseases and their risk factors are alarmingly high among them. To tackle this issue, early identification and effective health promotion strategies at a young age need to be adopted. Hence, there is a need for understanding the current trend in overweight and obesity among growing adolescents. Aim: To identify the lifestyle practices and to determine knowledge on prevention and control of overweight and obesity among overweight and obese adolescents in selected urban high schools at Mangaluru, Dakshina Kannada (D.K.), India. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents at selected urban high schools of Mangaluru, D K, India. A sample of 360 adolescents were screened to identify the occurrence of overweight and obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI) was computed using the formula, BMI=weight (Kg)/ height (m2). A total of 65 overweight and obese adolescents were assessed for lifestyle practices and level of knowledge on prevention and control of overweight and obesity. Demographic proforma, a structured knowledge questionnaire, and a self-report lifestyle practice rating scale were used to collect data. Results: The occurrence of overweight and obesity among adolescents was 18%. According to their BMI status, 9.7% of adolescents were overweight and 8.3% of them were obese. Self- reported lifestyle practice scores depicted that most (86.2%) of the overweight and obese adolescents follow unhealthy lifestyle practices. Majority (66.1%) of the adolescents had only average knowledge on prevention and control of overweight and obesity. Conclusion: Though a maximum number of adolescents had average knowledge on prevention and control of overweight and obesity, unhealthy lifestyle practices are major risk factors for overweight and obesity among growing adolescents. Overweight and obese adolescents should strictly follow healthy lifestyle practices.

Stunting and Combined Overweight with Stunting among Schoolchildren in Kuwait: Trends over a 13-Year Period

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the sex- and age-specific trends of stunting and combined overweight with stunting among schoolchildren over a 13-year period in Kuwait. Subjects and Methods: The Kuwait Nutrition Surveillance System objectively measured the height of 172,573 schoolchildren (5–19 years) over a 13-year period (2007–2019). Data on gender and date of birth were extracted from school records. Stunting was defined as height 2 standard deviations (SD) below the World Health Organization growth reference median. Logistic regression models were used to examine the trends of stunting over the study period while stratifying by gender. Results: In males, the prevalence of stunting increased from 2.46% in 2007 to 4.18% in 2019 (p for trend <0.001). In females, the prevalence of stunting fluctuated but remained around 3.80% in both 2007 and 2019. The odds of stunting significantly increased in the period 2017–2019 compared to the period 2007–2010 among males, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.04 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14–1.76); p = 0.009, but not females, AOR 0.89 (95% CI: 0.73–1.07); p = 0.176. Although not statistically significant, there was a tendency for the odds of combined overweight with stunting to increase in males, AOR 1.65 (95% CI: 0.90–3.04); p = 0.087, but not females, AOR 1.13 (95% CI: 0.88–1.45); p = 0.248. Conclusion: Although the prevalence of stunting and combined stunting with overweight is low, there is an emerging upward trend in schoolboys that warrants further investigation and monitoring. This highlights the need for gender-specific interventions to reduce nutritional abnormalities in high-income countries in the Middle East countries like Kuwait.

Temporal trend of overweight and obesity prevalence among Brazilian adults, according to sociodemographic characteristics, 2006-2019.

To analyze the temporal trend of overweight and obesity prevalence rates among adults in the Brazilian state capitals and Federal District between 2006 and 2019. This was a time series study using data from the Surveillance System for Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey, 2006-2019 (n=730,309). Prevalence of overweight and obesity for each of the years was analyzed, according to combined sex, age, and schooling. Temporal variation trend was analyzed using Prais-Winsten regression. Variations in overweight prevalence were observed, mainly among males 18-24 years old with up to 8 years of schooling (3.17%/year) and among women between 18-24 years old with more than 12 or more years of schooling (6.81% /year). Variations in obesity prevalence were found mainly among women 18-24 years old with more than 12 years of schooling (10.79%/year). There was an increase in overweight and obesity in most of the socio-demographic strata studied, especially among more educated young people.

Less obesity but higher inequalities in Portuguese children: Trends of childhood obesity between 2002–2016

To observe the trends of overweight and obesity among Portuguese children from 2002 to 2016, before and during the years of the economic crisis, and compare these trends according to family's socio-economic position (SEP). Prevalence rates were calculated using data from six studies providing comparable estimates from 2002, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2016 for children aged 6-10-years living in the Portuguese Midlands (n=7192; 50.2% girls). Height and weight were objectively measured; children and family characteristics were collected by standard questionnaires. A logistic regression was used to test the association between variables. Between 2002 and 2016, there was a decrease in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, which reached a statistical significance for girls. The prevalence of overweight, including obesity, was high (low-SEP=30.5%; high-SEP=20.5%) and a widening of socio-economic inequalities was found. Socio-economically disadvantaged children had more than 2 times the odds of having obesity than children from higher-SEP, even after adjusting for sex, physical activity and screen-time. While a decrease in overall rates of overweight and obesity was observed from 2002 to 2016, the social inequalities have been widened which suggest the need for public efforts to promote healthy weight at a population level, especially in lower socio-economic classes.

Prevalence and socioeconomic risk factors of overweight among the under-five children in Bangladesh: A nationwide cross-sectional survey

Abstract This study aimed to assess the prevalence and identify socioeconomic predictors of overweight among Bangladeshi under-five children. Data of 22058 under-five children were extracted from the latest Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey- 2019. The prevalence of childhood overweight or obesity was found 3% among Bangladeshi children. Children aged 12–23 months [AOR = 2.57, 95% CI: 1.75–3.75], residing in urban areas [AOR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.23–1.94], Dhaka division [AOR = 4.46, 95% CI: 2.61–7.62], and richest household wealth index [AOR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.54–2.88] were the major socio-economic predictors of childhood overweight or obesity among the under-five children in Bangladesh. Trend of childhood overweight or obesity is increasing, and immediate public health actions are required to protect them from the further consequences of childhood overweight or obesity.

Exploring the macroeconomic and socioeconomic determinants of simultaneous over and undernutrition in Asia: An analysis of stunted child - overweight mother households.

Many low and middle-income countries in Asia experience greater food availability as their economies grow, potentially solving previous problems of undernutrition. However, economic growth may not sufficiently reduce undernutrition and instead increase over nutrition, creating a double burden of malnutrition. In this paper we investigate one of the most prevalent and seemingly paradoxical manifestations of the double burden, a stunted child and an overweight mother (SCOM) living in the same household. We use household-level data from 11 Asian countries from 2005 to 2018, as well as macroeconomic data on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the GDP growth of these countries to estimate which household-level and macroeconomic factors predict SCOM. We also determine the relative predictive power of our variables for SCOM and investigate if predictors of SCOM also predict other forms of malnutrition. We find that the predictive power of household-level factors for SCOM is comparatively more important than that of macroeconomic variables. Additionally, we explore the effect of including population subgroup-level trends in maternal overweight and child stunting on the predictive power of our macro-level and household-level variables. The increasing prevalence of SCOM is driven by a rise in maternal overweight, coupled with stagnant rates of child stunting, but remains a unique phenomenon that differs from other indicators of malnutrition. This supports explanations that suggest increasing consumption of high-energy but low-nutrient foods is the underlying cause of SCOM, leading to weight gain in adults and stunting in under-five children.

Trends in Overweight and Obesity Self-awareness Among Adults With Overweight or Obesity in the United States, 1999 to 2016.

Trends in Overweight and Obesity Self-awareness Among Adults With Overweight or Obesity in the United States, 1999 to 2016.

Multiple burdens of malnutrition and relative remoteness in rural Ecuadorian communities.

Social and economic changes associated with new roads can bring about rapid nutritional transitions. To study this process, we: (1) describe trends in adult overweight and obesity (OW/OB) among rural Afro-Ecuadorians over time and across a gradient of community remoteness from the nearest commercial centre; (2) examine the relationship between male and female adult OW/OB and factors associated with market integration such as changing livelihoods and (3) examine the co-occurrence of adult OW/OB and under-five stunting and anaemia. Adult anthropometry was collected through serial case-control studies repeated over a decade across twenty-eight communities. At the same time, anthropometry and Hb were measured for all children under 5 years of age in every community. Northern coastal Ecuador. Adults (n 1665) and children under 5 years of age (n 2618). From 2003 and 2013, OW/OB increased from 25·1 % to 44·8 % among men and 59·9 % to 70·2 % among women. The inverse relationship between remoteness and OW/OB in men was attenuated when adjusting for urban employment, suggesting that livelihoods mediated the remoteness-OW/OB relationship. No such relationship was observed among women. Communities with a higher prevalence of male OW/OB also had a greater prevalence of stunting, but not anaemia, in children under 5 years of age. The association between male OW/OB and child stunting at the community level, but not the household level, suggests that changing food environments, rather than household- or individual-level factors, drove these trends. A closer examination of changing socio-economic structures and food environments in communities undergoing rapid development could help mitigate future public health burdens.

Metabolic health in Brazil: trends and challenges

Metabolic health in Brazil: trends and challenges

Prevalence, incidence, and trends of childhood overweight/obesity in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic scoping review

BackgroundThe growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NDC), particularly in low-and middle-income countries, poses a significant threat to global health. Obesity and overweight constitute major risk factors of NCDs such as heart diseases, diabetes, and kidney disease, and as a result, contribute significantly to the development of chronic morbidities, reduced quality of life, and increased risk of premature death. This study described evidence on the prevalence, incidence, and trends of childhood overweight and obesity in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA).MethodsWe conducted a systematic scoping review employing the Arksey and O’Malley framework, Levac et al. recommendations, and the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. To obtain relevant published articles for this review, we performed a comprehensive keywords search in PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and CINAHL via EBSCOhost platform for studies published between 2009 and June 2019. Guided by the eligibility criteria, title and abstracts, as well as the full-text articles were independently screened in parallel by two investigators. All relevant data were independently extracted by two investigators using a piloted form designed in Microsoft and thematic analysis conducted.ResultsOf the 81 included studies obtained from 250,148 potentially eligible articles, the majority (25) conducted in South Africa followed by 18 in Nigeria. Six studies were conducted in Ethiopia (6), Tanzania (5), Kenya (4), Cameroon (4), Ghana (3), Uganda (2), Mozambique (2), and Sudan (2). One study each was conducted in Botswana, Gambia, Lesotho, Mauritius, Seychelles, Togo, and Zimbabwe. The remaining three articles were multi-country studies. Most (81.5%) of the included studies were cross-sectional surveys and the majority (79) focused on both male and female participants. The majority (80/81) of the included studies reported on the prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity, 8 on the trends of childhood overweight/obesity, and one presented evidence on the incidence of childhood overweight and obesity in SSA.ConclusionThis review demonstrates limited studies on childhood overweight/obesity in most SSA countries although the included studies suggest an increasing burden. Considering the consequences of childhood obesity, there is a need for more primary researches to inform policies decision and implementation to halt the rise of childhood obesity/overweight in SSA.

Prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity in European children from 1999 to 2016: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity in European children from 1999 to 2016: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Gender-specific temporal trends in overweight prevalence among Chinese adults: a hierarchical age-period-cohort analysis from 2008 to 2015

BackgroundAs a key health risk, the prevalence of overweight has been strikingly increasing worldwide. This study aimed to disentangle the net age, period, and cohort effects on overweight among Chinese adults by gender.MethodsData came from the Chinese General Social Survey from 2008 to 2015, which was a repeated cross-sectional survey (n = 55,726, aged 18 and older). χ2 or t tests were used to estimate the gender disparities in overweight and socioeconomic status (SES). A series of hierarchical age-period-cohort cross-classified random-effects models were performed using SAS version 9.4 to estimate the overall and gender-specific temporal trends of overweight, as well as the association between SES and overweight. Further, a series of line charts were used to present the age and cohort variations in overweight.ResultsAfter controlling for covariates, significant age and cohort effects were observed among adults in China (b = 0.0205, p < 0.001; b = 0.0122, p < 0.05; respectively). Specifically, inverted U-shaped age effects were identified for both genders, with a high probability of overweight occurring in middle age (b = –0.0012, p < 0.001). Overweight was more prevalent among men than women before 60 years old, and this trend reversed thereafter (b = –0.0253, p < 0.001). Moreover, men born during the war (before 1950) and reform cohorts (after the 1975s) demonstrated a substantial decline in overweight, while men born in 1950–1975 showed an increasing trend in overweight prevalence (b = 0.0378, p < 0.05). However, the cohort effect on women was not statistically significant. Additionally, a higher SES was related to an elevated probability of overweight.ConclusionGender-specific age and cohort effects on the prevalence of overweight were observed among Chinese adults. Both China and other developing countries need to pay attention to the coming obesity challenge and related health inequality. Full life-cycle overweight prevention interventions should focus on middle-aged adults, men born in the war and reform eras, and adults with a higher SES.

20-year trends in overweight, nutrition and physical activity habits among Lithuanian population

Abstract Background Changes in diet and physical activity can affect the prevalence of overweight. The study aimed to evaluate trends in overweight and lifestyle factors among Lithuanian population considering socio-demographic factors. Methods The data were obtained from eleven cross-sectional postal surveys of Lithuanian Health Behaviour Monitoring, carried out in 1994-2014. For every survey, a nationally representative random sample of 3000-4000 individuals aged 20-64 was drawn from the National Population Register. In total, 8738 men and 11822 women participated in these surveys. Self-reported body weight and height were used to calculate BMI. Questions about food consumption and physical activity were included in questionnaires. Results Between 1994 and 2014, the proportion of men with overweight (BMI≥25 kg/m2) increased from 47.5% to 58.6 and the proportion of men with obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2) - from 10.7% to 19.5%. The increasing trends were observed in all socio-demographic groups. In women, the prevalence of overweight decreased from 51.7% in 1994 to 46.0% in 2014; the prevalence of obesity has not changed significantly and was 17.3% in 2014. The most remarkable decrease in BMI was observed in women of the youngest age group and with university education. Socio-demographic differences in the trends in nutrition habits were in line with changes in BMI. The highest decrease in fatty meat and milk products consumption and an increase in fresh vegetable consumption were reported by younger, highly educated and living in city women. Since 1994, the proportion of men and women having leisure-time physical activity at least four times a week has increased, however, only to 29.1% of men and 24.5% of women. Older people and those with lower education were less physically active. Conclusions Over 20 years, the prevalence of overweight increased in Lithuanian men and decreased in women. These trends were related to trends in diet and physical activity habits. Key messages Over 20 years, the increasing trends in the prevalence of overweight were observed in all socio-demographic groups of men and decreasing trends in the youngest age group and high-educated women. Positive changes in BMI were associated with improvement in food habits and physical activity level.

The WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) and the CLICK framework

Abstract The WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) is a well-established system that measures trends in overweight and obesity in over 300,000 primary school aged children from over 40 countries across the WHO European Region. The COSI collects important information related to child anthropometrics, school and family characteristics and child lifestyle behaviors. Major determinants covered by COSI include physical activity, dietary habits and school environments. COSI data has revealed substantial differences in physical activity estimates between countries. However, studies based on COSI data show that 40% of children spend at least two hours watching TV or using electronic devices per day. To prevent increased childhood obesity, policymakers should simultaneously increase opportunities for children to engage in physical activity and act to reduce the amount of time spent on sedentary activities. As children are increasingly online and connected to mobile devices, an emerging concern relates to digital marketing of unhealthy products, which can be effectively targeted at children using advanced persuasive techniques. The WHO CLICK report suggests the need to integrate information such as children's time spent online, device, app and social media usage with outcomes such as child obesity. One future possibility may be to integrate such questions into future COSI questionnaires, which would provide important information at minimal cost and could generate extensive, high quality data. The monitoring and surveillance advocated by the CLICK report is necessary to provide data on whether and how far WHO recommendations in online settings are adopted by governments and public health institutions. The WHO CLICK report acts on consultation with experts to provide a tool to support Member States in monitoring the digital marketing of unhealthy products to children and suggests policy options.

Thirty year trends in cardiovascular risk factors prevalence among Siberian adolescents (1989-2019)

Abstract Background Aim of the study was to assess trends of cardiovascular risk factors among Siberian adolescents during the last 30 years including period of Russian reforms (1989-2019). Methods Seven cross-sectional surveys of representative samples of school children aged 14-18 since 1989 (every 5 years) were carried out. Body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured. Self-reported smoking and physical activity rates were obtained. To define overweight the sex- and age-specific IOTF cutoffs for BMI were used. Hypertension (HT) and lipid disorders were revealed according to international criteria. Results Prevalence of high TC significantly decreased from 22 to 4% (p &amp;lt; 0,01) in males and from 32 to 17% (p &amp;lt; 0,05) in females. High LDL-C showed similar trends. Prevalence of low HDL-C was stable with some fluctuations. In the period of Russian reforms (1989-1999) the prevalence of overweight significantly decreased from 12% in boys and from 14% in girls in 1989 to 4% in 1999 (p &amp;lt; 0,01). Since 2003 rapid increasing of overweight was observed. Trends of HT have shown double decreasing during the reform period and stabilization in the post-reform time. So, since 2003 discordant trends in HT and overweight were revealed. Physical activity was stably low in boys (49-55%) and girls (83-73%). Average weekly screen time doubled from 15 (2009) to 30 h/w (2019), p &amp;lt; 0,05. Cigarette smoking rates in boys dramatically decreased from 45% (1989) to 3% (2019), in girls - from 19% to 5% (p &amp;lt; 0,01). Smoking of electronic devices was registered in 2019: 6% among boys and 3% among girls. Conclusions Obtained data indicate on trends to reduction in CVD risk profile among Siberian adolescents during the period of Russian reforms. Discordant trends of HT and overweight were revealed. The study was supported by RFBR grant 19-013-00800. Key messages Long time changes in cardiovascular risk profile among Siberian adolescents were registered. Against the background of a decrease in combustible smoking among adolescents, electronic smoking began to register.

A cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Bangladeshi adolescents based on WHO, IOTF, and CDC cut-points

AimThe rising trend of overweight and obesity in adolescents is not only limited to high-income countries, and it's also increasing in many low to middle-income countries in recent years. This study was designed to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a representative sample of Bangladeshi adolescents. MethodsA total of 825 adolescents (boys 62.3% and girls 37.7%), aged 14–19 years were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique from representative study subjects in Noakhali city from December 2016 to November 2017. The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are the three sets of body mass index (BMI) cut-points were used to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents. ResultsThe estimated combined prevalence of overweight/obesity was higher in boys (20.43%) compared to girls (7.71%) based on the WHO cut-points. According to the IOTF and CDC cut-points, the calculated combined prevalence of overweight/obesity was also higher in boys 14.79% vs. 6.71%, 16.54% vs. 6.11% respectively in contrast to girls. The results of this study significantly revealed that about 3.17-fold higher risk of being overweight (OR = 3.17; 95% CI = 1.77–5.66, p < 0.05) and a 2.37-fold higher risk of being obesity (OR = 2.37, 95% Cl = 1.09–4.94, p < 0.05) in boys compared to girls. ConclusionFurther study and public health efforts might be essential to address complications of the obesity problem and to promote active lifestyles with dietary guidelines.

Contribution of Home and School Environment in Children's Food Choice and Overweight/Obesity Prevalence in African Context: Evidence for Creating Enabling Healthful Food Environment.

This review aimed primarily to investigate the current trends of overweight and obesity in school children in the African context, secondly to explore the contribution of home and school environments on the children’s food choices and lastly suggesting measures for creating a healthier food environment. Despite the increase in overweight and obesity among school children, empirical evidence on their determinants in the African context is scarce, thus calls for consideration of home and school environments. A literature search was conducted between October and December 2018 using Medline (PubMed), Directory of Open Access Journals, Google Scholar, manual search and “grey” literature. This review included articles published between the 1st January 2008 and 30th June 2018. Out of 343 articles, 49 were included for the full text reading after meeting the inclusion criteria. Five reports from grey literature were also included. Results show that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among school children in Africa is increasing and ranges from <5% to >40% in the 10-year period in which the review was taken. High socio-economic status, urban residence and female gender predicted higher prevalence of overweight/obesity. Few reviewed articles on the contribution of home and school environments on children’s food choices showed a shred of evidence, thus calls for further research to address this gap. This review found an increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in school children in Africa. Therefore, further investigation of home and school environment is imperative to curb the increase in the magnitude of overweight and obesity.